On the Fourth Day of Cooking/Baking

Sorry this is late everyone.  On the fourth day of cooking, I think it's time for a main course recipe.  For Thanksgiving, we usually have turkey and for Christmas, we have a ham.  So, the cooking recipe is a Christmas ham.  It's sweet, savory, and simple!  While I was on facebook one day, I saw one of my facebook friends baking a bunch of cookies.  She then posted a picture of the finished product and it is our baking recipe.  It's a great centerpiece and an even better dessert.  It's Gingerbread Star Christmas tree cookies.

Cooking Recipe (Courtesy of the FamilyFun website): Christmas Baked Ham

Ingredients

• Whole or half ham, precooked, cured, or smoked
• 2 cups apple cider
• 3 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 can pineapple slices

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the ham fat-side down in a roasting pan with the apple cider. Bake a whole ham 10 minutes per pound, or a half ham 15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees. Baste the ham with the liquid in the pan from time to time during baking.
2. When the ham is cooked, remove it from the oven and slice off the skin and most of the fat, leaving a quarter-inch layer. Lay the ham in the pan, fat-side up this time, and make crosshatches using a long, sharp knife.
3. In a small bowl, make a paste of the mustard and brown sugar and rub it all over the ham. Add pineapple slices at this point if desired, securing the pieces with toothpicks. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
4. Return the ham to the oven and bake 15 minutes more or until it appears glazed, but before the sugar has a chance to burn.
5. Tip: The ready-to-serve and canned hams available in supermarkets will require only this final embellishment and not the preliminary baking.
   
   
   Baking Recipe: (Courtesy of Taste of Home Website) Gingerbread Star Christmas Tree Cookies
   
   
   

   Ingredients

   • DOUGH:
   • 1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar
   • 1-1/3 cups molasses
   • 2 cups cold butter, cubed
   • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
   • 8 cups all-purpose flour
   • 3 tablespoons ground ginger
   • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
   • 4 teaspoons baking soda
   • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
   • 2 teaspoons ground cloves
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
   • 
     
   • ROYAL ICING AND DECORATIONS:
   • 7-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
   • 6 tablespoons meringue powder, divided
   • 10 tablespoons warm water, divided
   • Edible glitter
   • Candy of your choice
   • Dark chocolate and white candy coating, melted
   • 
     
   • EQUIPMENT:
     • Pencil
     • Ruler
     • Waxed paper
     • Scissors
     • Cookie cutters—round (2-1/2 inches, 2 inches and 1-1/2 inches) and star-shaped (3 inches, 2 inches and 1 inch)
     • #101 petal pastry tip
   • 
     
   • Directions
   • • To create star templates: With a pencil and ruler, draw five-pointed stars on sheets of waxed paper, labeling each template with its dimensions. Draw an 8-1/2-in. star, 8-in. star, 7-1/2-in. star, 7-1/4-in. star, 6-3/4-in. star, 6-in. star and 4-1/2-in. star. Cut out with scissors and set aside.
     • To make dough: In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring brown sugar and molasses just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in butter until melted. Stir in eggs until blended. Combine the remaining dough ingredients; stir into brown sugar mixture. Divide dough into four portions.
     • On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/4-in. thickness. Using templates, cut one 8-1/2-in. star, two 8-in. stars, one 7-1/2-in. star, two 7-1/4-in. stars, one 6-3/4-in. star, two 6-in. stars and one 4-1/2-in. star. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
     • Cut two circles using a floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Cut 12 circles using a floured 2-in. round cookie cutter. Cut two circles using a floured 1-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Cut remaining dough using floured star-shaped cookie cutters. Re-roll scraps. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
     • For one batch of icing: In a large bowl, combine 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons meringue powder and 5 tablespoons water; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Keep icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture.
     • To assemble: With icing and round cookies, make six large sandwich cookies and one small sandwich cookie. Let stand for 15 minutes or until set.
     • Place the 8-1/2-in. star on a serving plate. Spread a small amount of icing onto center of star; top with an 8-in. star. Spread a small amount of icing onto center of star; top with a large sandwich cookie. Spread a small amount of icing onto sandwich cookie; top with remaining 8-in. star. Let stand for 15 minutes or until set.
     • Repeat with remaining icing, sandwich cookies and stars, building tree using the largest stars and sandwich cookies first. After each star is added, let stand for 15 minutes or until set.
     • To decorate: Prepare a second batch of icing. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #101 petal tip. Fill bag with icing. Decorate tree as desired with icing, edible glitter and candy. Decorate a 2-in. star cookie as desired; secure on the treetop with icing.
     • To decorate small star cookies: